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Characters / Drowtales Vel Sharen Clan Zala Ess And Her Bloodline

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Main Character Index | Val'Sarghress | Val'Sarghress: Vals | Val'Sarghress: Vassal Houses | Vel'Sharen | Vel'Sharen: Snadhya'rune and her bloodline | Vel'Sharen: Sarv'Swati and her bloodline | Vel'Sharen: Sil'lice and her bloodline | Vel'Sharen: Nishi'kanta and her bloodline | Zala'ess and her bloodline | Val'Sullinsin'rune | Vel'Vloz'ress | Val'Kyorl'solenurn | Val'Illhar'dro | Val'Beldrobbaen | Val'Nal'sarkoth | Val'Jaal'darya | The Nidraa'chal | Minor Clans and Clanless Characters
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    Zala'ess Vel'Sharen 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zala.png
The fifth Sharen daughter and the chief politician of the family. She has ambitions of being the Ill'haress of the clan and is known for having many children. As of the 15 year timeskip, she's laid claim to the title of Empress, apparently without the consent of her other two sisters.

  • Abusive Parent: Even though she has been noted to be one of the better mothers in the series (at least to her biological children), however, to the protecter twins she refused to treat them equally which resulted in some of them (Vy'chriel, Shinae) grow to resent her and their charges- to the point that the former killed her twin and to take her place, while the other backstabbed her to join Snadhya'rune. Eventually during the second timeskip to keep herself in her eldest sister's graces, she approves of letting Chrys'tel and others like her be killed.
  • Aggressive Negotiations: When Quain'tana meets with the Sharen for parley, Zala'ess pulls out a golem in the middle of it to make threats. Later revealed to be the Illhar'dro's idea, and apparently something Zala herself considered stupid but had to go along with.
  • A Lighter Shade of Black: Compared to her sociopathic and tyrannical eldest and second eldest sister respectively she seems downright reasonable, which doesn't make her not do some pretty villainous things, mind you.
  • Ambition Is Evil: Zala'ess' primary motivation is to become Empress, and she has few limits on what she's willing to do to achieve this.
  • Antagonistic Offspring
  • Armor-Piercing Question: To Quain, "Then what?" in regards to what will happen to Chel if she succeeds in annihilating the Sharen.
  • Beauty, Brains, and Brawn: Of the three sisters, Zala'ess fits the Beauty part- as she is the most popular in terms of inter-clan influence and has her huge family for backup. She is the Sharen sister who is the public face of the clan. On a more literal side she is also the sister noted by the fans to flaunt her physical attributes the most.
  • Body Horror: Due to the influence of Snadhya'rune's massive nethergate, she mutates into a full demon. Her body grows a tail and develops cloved feet. While her mind remains completely intact, all the Kyorl are willing to see is a dangerous demon, and she fears that even her own family will not accept her.
  • Broken Pedestal: All Chrys'tel wanted was to prove herself to her mother, but Zala'ess eventually lied to her and tried to kill her. In the final chapter, Chrys'tel chooses to abandon her previous life.
  • The Chessmaster: She is the Sharen clan's main politician and is quite adept at the power games and intrigue that rule Chel. Somewhat averted as she has had quite a few failures and made some truly questionable decisions. Those include assisting her sisters’ coup against their mother during the Nidraa’chal War (which she herself in hindsight calls foolish), using Ariel’s true parentage to tar Quain’tana and attempting to assassinate her using Syphille ( both of which failed miserably), getting military support from outside of Chel in order to win the District War but arriving at Chel after the Sarghress already stomped all opposition and being forced to ally with Snadhya'rune again to avoid the Sarghress coming for her head after Quain’tana’s death. She also cannot control her own inquisitve daughter Chrys’tel.
  • Combat Pragmatist: Viewing her sister, Sarv'swati, as a rival for power, and intending to use Quain'tana as an ally for her own ends, she uses Earth sorcery to rig their duel in Quain'tana's favor.
  • Defiant to the End: In Chapter 47 if Quain hadn't shown up when she did Zala would have definitely gone down fighting even against overwhelming odds.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: Possibly, since Zala was the only one to express hesitation when it came time to seal the deal and trap their mother in her throne room. Instead, she suggested forcibly tainting Diva so she'd join them rather than leaving her to die, while she had seemed fairly gung-ho about the idea of simply killing Diva and hanging her body from the gate. After the timeskip she at least claims to regret her role in it, but more because of what it did to the Empire than the part where she committed matricide.
  • Evil Plan: After the timeskip, her trip to Nuqrah'shareh is implied to be one of these, since she apparently declared herself Empress on the way there, without telling her two other sisters, and has publicly claimed that Diva'ratrika is dead, even though Diva'ratrika is still considered alive in Chel despite rumors to the contrary. In exchange for helping Nega'fanae retake the city and giving several Nuqrah clans Chelian Val status, some of the Nuqrah troops are going back to Chel with her, suggesting that Zala's plan is to use them against her other sisters and the rebel clans to take Chel. She was also planning on borrowing the Airship before the Nidraa'chal stole it for themselves.
  • Explosive Breeder: Referred to as such by Snadhya'rune, who says that the type of seed she chose for Zala's lineage, which causes sterility, was deliberately chosen as a sort of Irony.
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: After the 15 year timeskip she's done away with the blue parts of her hair, and instead wears it in a braid and a shade closer to Sabbror's natural color.
  • Fake Pregnancy: Her pregnant belly in Chapter 47 turns out to be a case of Pillow Pregnancy, which actually saves her life. While it's not said why she faked a pregnancy in the first place, it may have been for protection; even the most bloodthirsty, matriarch Drow would probably think twice before attacking a pregnant woman..
  • Foreshadowing: There are a number of hints dropped that her pregnancy is fake before it's revealed on panel in Chapter 47, which a few readers did manage to pick up before the actual reveal. Among them the fact that she seemed to be progressing unnaturally fast given she'd had a flat belly while in Nuqrah'shareh, the entirety of the scene where she stages her meeting with Quain'tana while holding Suna to emphasize her motherhood, drinking liquor without apparent concern, and the final nail in the coffin is how Shinae'e stab her to stomach is surprisingly blood free and she doesn't seem particularly distressed, after which she pulls out the pillow.
  • I Did What I Had to Do: Chrystel's "defense" of Zala's actions when challenged by a rightfully pissed off Sil'lice. Sil'lice is quick to point out how untrue that is.
  • Insult Backfire: Asira'malika tells her that she's so much like Diva'ratrika that it "makes me sick", but Zala'ess responds that it's an honor to be compared to her mother. For extra irony, Zala was one of the ones who killed Diva.
  • I Want Grandkids: Chrys indicates that she's been pressuring both her and Nau'kheol for grandchildren but now it seems unlikely she'll be able to get them from the former.
  • Kick The Son Of A Bitch: Her treatment of Yaeminira, specifically The Uriah Gambit definitely is a Kick the Dog moment if only for the collateral damage it causes, but it doesn't have quite the punch it would normally since Yaeminira did open a nether gate in the city without permission and murder her sister in cold blood, and few people blame Zala for being as angry as she was since she was forced to adopt her child's murderer by her own sister.
    • And in Chapter 47 Secretly throws the fight between Sarv'swati and Quain'tana in Quain's favor by using a bit of sorcery to trap Sarv's foot just long enough for Quain to make the killing blow. Loses most of its sting because of Sarv's long list of bad decisions and the fact that she was threatening the fragile peace Zala had just obtained.
  • Large Ham: In Chapter 8 her verbal spar with Quain'tana leaves toothmarks on the scenery. They top themselves in Chapter 47 though it's implied this was an act to get everyone else to leave so they could get down to the real negotiations.
  • Mama Bear: One of her few redeeming features is that she honestly seems to care about her biological kids, and in Chapter 47 almost prove fatal when her first instinct upon seeing her youngest daughter Suna is to attempt to reach her, nearly getting noshed by a dragon in the process until Sabbror tackles it. This does not seem to extend to adopted children, as Shinae will attest.
  • Matricide: Murdered her own mother, and in Chapter 47 almost winds up on the receiving end multiple times by her own Kharla-controlled children and Shinae, who's acting of her own free will.
  • Moral Myopia: Seems to have a case of this. Was furious to the point of wanting to kill her when the original Vy'chriel was killed by Yaeminira, but apparently feels no grief for the guards, said adopted daughter, and the slaves and civilians her actions caused the deaths of in Chapter 17. Worse, when confronted by an enraged Sil'lice, she asks "can you name something that can not be repaired between us sisters" when Zala's actions have all but eliminated Sil'lice's bloodline... although fans are wondering if that's due to Zala's poison induced memory loss, or it's all just part of the fact that Zala simply can not see anyone, other than herself, as a person.
  • Not-So-Harmless Villain: For a long time, Snadhya'rune and Sarv'swati just saw her as their easily controlled, littlest sister. But after she starts meddling in the Empire's politics on her own initiative, Sarv'swati begins to take notice. As of the timeskip, Zala'ess has the largest family, powerful foreign alliances, has laid claim to the title of Empress, apparently without the consent of her other two sisters, and may have unknowingly disrupted a Nidraa'chal scheme. Snadhya'rune might want to start paying attention to her.
  • Offing the Offspring: She ultimately surrenders everything to Snadhya'rune in order to survive. Knowing that Chrys'tel will not go along with it, she gives her approval to having Chrys'tel and others like her purged.
  • One Drink Will Kill the Baby: Shown imbibing some very expensive liquor in Chapter 47 despite being visibly pregnant. In hindsight, might have been a clue she actually wasn't.
  • Pet the Dog: Horrible things she's done notwithstanding, she at least showed she cared about her children. This is subverted later on when she allows Chrys'tel to be purged in order to keep Snadya'rune placated.
  • Pregnant Badass: Concept art◊ for Chapter 47 shows Zala with a very noticeable belly. Except it turns out she's not actually pregnant.
  • Really Gets Around: To quote Sil'lice: "You fucked to no end to make an army out of your womb" and even though she has a long time mate in Sabbror, who is the father of several if not most of her children, she's also had children with men from the Ill'hardro clan for political purposes, which Sabbror doesn't seem to mind.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: Like all people tainted by demons, her eyes are red. Oddly enough, they turn green after she mutates into a full demon.
  • The Resenter: A large part of her motivation seems to involve spiting her sisters for their treating her as their easy-to-control, youngest sister; this is shown when Sarv'swati single-handedly overrules Zala when the original Vy'Chriel died and Zala wanted to kill Yaeminira, and she later says that Zala once cowered before them, and even Diva'ratrika says Zala had always been under her sisters' thumbs.
  • Sanity Slippage: Really hits home in chapter 50. Despite not "blooming" like the "Potato Devess," it's quite clear that the poison has sapped away her cognitive reasoning. Many forumites are disturbed by how accurate her portrayal of early-onset Alzheimer's is. For bonus horror, some have even noted how scarily accurate the scene where she has a complete breakdown at the clan meeting is, especially when seen through her eyes, as the artist's rendition of the aura was immediately recognized by those who suffer from migraines and other similar cerebral-neurological conditions, making fans worried that she was going to "bloom" right then and there, infecting the whole gathering.
  • Split-Personality Merge: In the final chapter of Moonless Age, she has the swirling eyes of a person with a merged taint. And while she has no loyalty to Snadhya'rune, she is notably willing to have her daughter, Chrys'tel, killed to keep Snadhya'rune happy.
  • Took a Level in Badass: In Chapter 47 shows that despite usually solving things with diplomacy she's fully capable of fighting back, and manages to punch out Shinae after the latter attempts to stab her. It's safe to assume that she's at least been trained to defend herself, but between her usual M.O. and the presence of Sabbror probably has never really had to.
  • The Uriah Gambit: Pulled one on Vy'chriel/Yaeminira.
  • Villainous Valor: Demonstrates it in chapter 47, where despite being outnumbered by hundreds if not thousands keeps fighting those under Kharla's Mass Hypnosis, and clearly would have gone down swinging if Quain hadn't arrived when she did. Quain even seems impressed by this.
  • Youngest Child Wins: She wants to invoke this by becoming Ill'haress of the clan, and as of the timeskip seems to be making a go for it, having declared herself Empress.

    Sabbror 
Zala'ess' mate and the father of many (if not most) of her children, he also seems to serve as her personal guard.

  • Bodyguard Crush: It's not known what his personal history with Zala is, but they may have started this way.
  • Chekhov M.I.A.: After the timeskip, was conspicuously absent from Zala's side. When we finally see him again he still retains his sanity, but the gem on his sealing armor and even his exhalations are visibly crackling with demonic mana, and one of his eyes has entered Glowing Eyes of Doom.
  • Determinator: Holds back his seed for what's seen as an incredibly long time in-universe, and the author confirms that this is part of why he's able to hold on to some parts of his personality, particularly his protectiveness of Zala, once it takes him over, since those who resist their seed for a while, such as Naal, often manage to retain some of their original self.
  • Enemy Mine: During the Sharen fortress's surrender parley, he agrees to turn over all Sharen holdings to the Sarghress in exchange for helping the Sharen get revenge against the traitors that infested them with faulty seeds.
  • Glowing Eyes of Doom: The result of his increasingly deadly taint.
  • Inhuman Eye Concealers: After the Time Skip, one of his eyes is covered over by his hair. This conceals the Glowing Eye Of Doom.
  • Morality Pet: Seems to be this to Zala, since they clearly love each other.
  • Retcon: Was originally so badly tainted that he was trapped in a suit of sealing armor and unable to speak, but when the worldsetting was redone he no longer had this history, and even after the timeskip is visibly having trouble keeping his seed under control, but keeps his ability to speak.
  • Revenge: During the Sharen fortress's surrender parley, he tells Quain'tana that he wants this against those who tainted the Sharen with faulty seeds.
  • Split-Personality Merge: Already at the brink of death, and under severe strain due to Kharla'ggen's Mind Manipulation, he finally loses to the taint and the demon takes over. Nevertheless, he retains enough of his former personality to remain capable of speech and protective of Zala'ess.
  • The Stoic: Something his son Nau'kheol initially appeared to inherit, though following the timeskip less so. His stoicism may be due to his Taint, as Naal was the same when she was heavily tainted.
  • You Shall Not Pass!: He tells his daughter that he will buy Zala'ess the time she needs to bring in The Cavalry before the Sarghress finish them off.

    Chrys'tel Vel'Sharen 
One of Zala'ess' daughters and Faen's roommate at Orthorbbae. After the timeskip, she has become one of her mother's main lieutenants and a central character to the story.

  • Ascended Extra: She started as Faen's roommate with little focus on her, but by the time of the timeskip has more or less become the secondary protagonist to Ariel.
  • Alpha Bitch: During her time at Orthorbbae.
  • Bloody Murder: Blood is her main affinity, and she uses it to fill what are essentially explosive blood grenades.
  • Character Development: It's telling that a character whose first appearance was slapping Faen and telling her to leave Ariel to die and made fans hate her can now inspire a woobie reaction from those same fans.
  • Conflicting Loyalty: Between Sil'lice and her mother, Zala'ess. On the one hand, she genuinely cares about her mother, but on the other she feels that Zala'ess has made terrible mistakes and has been working with one of the victims of said mistakes.
  • Convenient Miscarriage: In Chapter 44 we find out about the "problems" Chrys'tel had referenced in regards to her own attempts to have children when we see her having what Word of God describes as an early miscarriage, including copious amounts of blood. It's even worse when you remember that Word of God is that drow do not have periods, so she has to realize exactly what this means.
  • Curiosity Is a Crapshoot: While Chrys' curiosity is one of her best features, and is explicitly identified by Zala'ess as such after the timeskip, her tendency to not look before she leaps and follow her intuition has nearly gotten her killed on three separate occasions. It also indirectly led to Naal's death and very nearly the death of Nau'kheol.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: Just compare her first scenes to her later ones.
  • Due to the Dead: Gives a salute to a Sarghress squad that died sabotaging a mutual enemy.
  • Gender-Blender Name: Only by human standards, since she's usually referred to simply as Chrys.
  • Girlish Pigtails: With the corresponding Tsundere traits, at least until the timeskip.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Isn't as bad as she initially appears, and has quite a bit of loyalty to her friends.
  • I Know You Know I Know: Seems to have fallen into this after the timeskip, since she knows Diva'ratrika's dead and her mother's role in it as well as Zala knowing that she knows, which is why she keeps Chrys'tel around as her overseer.
  • Lovable Alpha Bitch: Started out as a regular Alpha Bitch, but transition to this after her Character Development kicked in.
  • The Mole: As of Chapter 32, is now working as one for Sil'lice.
  • Never My Fault: Tries to say it's Ariel's fault (who wasn't even present) that Faen's power went haywire and both Nihi'liir and her teacher were grievously harmed. She outgrows this in a hurry, especially once she learns the truth about her own clan.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Seemingly a pattern with her.
  • Odd Friendship: She and Ariel have apparently gotten quite close, especially after the time-skip. What makes this friendship odd is that upon their first meeting Chrys tried to force Faen to leave her for dead and Ariel returns the favor later by stabbing Chrys, but rather than leave her to die, takes her to Quain to deal with. (Pre-retcon, the choice whether Chrys lives or dies was decided by a fan poll, with the overwhelming majority wanting her to live.)
  • Parental Favoritism: Even though Zala'ess seems to care for all of her children (note ) Chrys seems to hold a special place with her mother. Played with after the timeskip, where Chrys'tel is Empress Zala'ess' overseer but it's implied Zala made Chrys this so she could keep an eye on her in light of what she learned from Sil'lice.
  • Pet the Dog: Her defense of Faen, and it's the first sign that she's not just a two-dimensional bully.
  • Pillars of Moral Character: She even says that a Vel'Sharen always repays her debts to Kiel after Naal's demise.
  • Plucky Girl: Even Ariel notices how hard it is to keep Chrys'tel down when she's determined. Also crosses over with Villainous Valour, though she's only a "villain" to Ariel by virtue of being a Sharen.
  • Rebellious Princess: If stealing her mother's old crown and sneaking into the Val'Sharess tower and later going to the Sarghress of her own free will to see Sil'lice isn't rebellious, what is?
    • After the timeskip, there are also several subtle indicators that she's not entirely pulling the Vel'Sharen party line, like the fact that her dragon isn't tainted and she named it Cahal, after the Shrouded in Myth figure Vel'Cahal, whose name literally means "Demon Poison."
  • Rich Bitch: Has aspects of this.
  • Squishy Wizard: To a point. Fans have noticed that so far Chrys has gotten her ass handed to her pretty much any time she engages someone in close quarters combat, including against Ariel, Shinae Sate'ja and a mook who takes advantage of her not restraining his arms and likely would've killed her if not for interference. She is shown to be very effective from dragonback and through the use of her blood sorcery, but close quarters seems to be a weakness of hers.
  • Spanner in the Works: After discovering what really happened to her grandmother.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: After the timeskip, she looks even more like her father and Nau'kheol, since her hair is more obviously silver/purple. In-universe she is also said by Yakuise and Diva to look a lot like Zala'ess.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Nearly crosses into this a few times, see Curiosity Is a Crapshoot. Sil'lice even lampshades it.
    I have let you go once and yet you have returned. This is not proof of a great intellect or wisdom.
  • Tsurime Eyes
  • We Can Rebuild Him: With Chrys'tel dying after a fight with Nidraa'chal agents, Shinae finishes her off to resurrect her as a living summon.
  • Why Am I Ticking?: She knows she has a faulty tainting seed. Courtesy of Snad who said so to her face, and in no uncertain terms.

    Shinae 
Chrys'tel's protector twin, Shinae's specialty is pressure sorcery.

  • Badass Longcoat: Lavender, no less.
  • Bad Guys Do the Dirty Work: Two thirds of the Sul trio wind up dying at her hands. And There Was Much Rejoicing.
  • Berserk Button: Nihi'liir really should not have said that, though it's implied that she doesn't know the full story of what happened to her baby at the time this conversation takes place. Later Chrys'tel accidentally presses the same button when she makes the double mistake of asking about the baby and saying that they left Shinae behind to keep her "safe", not knowing the ordeal Shinae has been through.
  • Cane Fu: Due to Chrys'tel's accidentally pressing of her Berserk Button Shinae actually hits her with her cane and draws blood.
  • Conflicting Loyalty: Between Chrys and to her adoptive mother Zala'ess. Post-time skip, she seems to have decided on Chrys. But after her Split-Personality Merge, she starts showing inclinations towards Snadhya'rune and may be acting on her behalf when she puts something in Zala's tea.
  • Despair Event Horizon: It's evident that the stillbirth of her child was this to her, since she's willing to let Snadhya'rune make her "safe" despite knowing damn well what it means, having seen what it did to Jiaan.
  • Determinator: In Chapter 40, by virtue of the fact that she's even up and walking after the horrific birth in chapter 39 since she's clearly in great pain, has to walk with a cane and can't even sit down.
  • The Dog Bites Back: Her rage and Face–Heel Turn is all about her lashing out at everyone whose abused her, or she thinks has abused her, but it comes to a glorious, glorious head in chapter 50 where she turns on the Sul trio and gives two of them a glorious Death by Irony.
  • Face–Heel Turn: Following tampering with Zala's drink and giving her the flower poison on behalf of Snadhya'rune it's safe to say she's done this. She also stabs Zala'ess, taking advantage of the confusion caused by Kharla's Mass Hypnosis and later takes Nona'brail hostage and leads Chrys and several other Sharen on a wild chase through Chel as she flees.
  • Fetus Terrible: After the timeskip, gives birth to one.
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: With Shinae's personality it's pretty unlikely any of the group from Orthorbbae would even hang around with her on their own if she wasn't Chrys' protector twin.
  • Ham-to-Ham Combat: Word of God confirms that with their personalities the confrontation between Shinae and Nihi'liir in Chapter 40 was bound to not end well.
  • Heel–Face Revolving Door: Ever since being made "safe" by Snadhya Shinae's true allegiance has been hard to determine, to say the least. On the one hand, she slips Zala'ess the flower poison but on the other she throws one of Snadhya's empaths from a balcony when they tried to have Chrys do the same and kills the other.
  • I Gave My Word: She makes a point of telling Ariel that she always keeps her promises, even to enemies, and her "treacherous sister." Of note, is that she "promised" to give Ariel 1000 deaths.
  • I Just Want to Be Normal: Indicated here.
  • The Immune: Her Snadhya granted "safe" taint makes her immune to Kharla's mind control powers in Chapter 47.
  • Irony: She thinks she's the loyal sister, and Chrys'tel is the treacherous one, yet not only does Shinae go to Snad to get her taint "perfected," she poisons Zala, stabs the latter in what she thinks is her pregnant belly during the Mass Hypnosis, outright deserts, and when Chrys'tel comes to her to plead her case that she was being controlled like everyone else, which is a perfectly good defense, she outright attacks Chrys'tel, her two fellow squad members, the dragon mounts, and stabs the very empath who would be most likely to back her in the throat, to use as hostage to escape, despite knowing that the wounds she received from the very dragons she attacked would be likely to kill her anyway without immediate attention that Chrys'tel was more than willing to give.
  • It's Personal: Has a very strong grudge against Ariel for setting into motion the events that caused Chrys'tel Conflicting Loyalty between Zala'ess and Sil'lice. Even weakened by her failed childbirth, she is desperate to see Ariel dead.
  • Kick the Dog: In Chapter 47 When Kharla places everyone who isn't a demon or a clan leader under Mass Hypnosis to kill the clan leaders, Shinae takes advantage of the situation to stab Zala'ess's pregnant belly. While her anger at Zala'ess can be justified to a point, the baby did nothing wrong. Granted, said pregnancy is later revealed to be fake, but Shinae had no way of knowing this and as far as she was aware was still killing an unborn child.
  • Little Miss Badass: Though many members of the cast are, she deserves special mention because it's technically her job.
  • Moral Myopia: She lambastes the Sarghress for defying the caste system, being unsatisfied with their lot in life, and trying to overtake their betters. And yet, she herself openly resents and throws temper tantrums at Chrys'tel for the same reason.
  • Mouthy Kid: Very much so, and seemingly lampshaded by her mask, which has thorns on it.
  • Pretend to Be Brainwashed: When Kharla uses Mass Hypnosis to kill the clan leaders, the demons and by extension the merged remain unaffected. But Shinae plays along with it for the chance to assassinate Zala'ess.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Has this dynamic with Chrys'tel, even though the colors they wear are reversed.
  • Replacement Sibling: Attempts this after Chrys'tel is captured, even though she knows it probably won't work, but she herself states that it's her only chance. Luckily Chrys'tel escapes, but Shinae is still said to have been lightly tortured.
  • The Resenter: Like most of the Sharen, she believes strongly in the inherent superiority of the Sharen clan over the lowly commoners, and takes great pride in serving them. However, Shinae herself is of adopted common blood, and she has no delusions as to how much lower that puts her than her sister. Even though Chrys'tel has Conflicting Loyalty with Sil'lice and takes actions that could be seen as treacherous, she is still one of Zala'ess's favorites and gets all of the perks and honors that the loyal Shinae only wishes she had. Unlike Yaeminira however, she has the sense to realize that turning against her sister would only end up badly for her.
  • Rule of Symbolism: It's interesting to note that the image of Shinae's tainted self is shown with long hair, a trait associated with Vals and "proper" Sharen daughters. What this means in the larger scheme of her character arc remains to be seen.
    • Another example here where Shinae is left out of the chain of people from different clans, which was lampshaded by the author in the description of the page. Further, in the "holding hands" scene as everyone is fleeing Felde, she's too far away, and on very unstable footing. Guess how she acts in chapter 49.
  • Screaming Birth: In her first on-panel appearance after the timeskip, and justified since the baby was apparently born already mutated.
  • Sibling Rivalry: With Chrys'tel, like most protector twins, though with them it's not yet gotten to the point where they've tried to kill each other... until chapter 49 came along.
  • Sir Swearsalot: Has one of the foulest mouths of any character, and the foulest mouth of the child cast.
  • Split-Personality Merge: Underneath Snadhya'rune's guidance, she undergoes a special ritual designed to merge her with her demon seed. At first, she resists, fighting the demon off, but in the end, she accepts the demon and becomes one with it. When the process is over, the new Shinae acts very happy and professes to have no more interest in the Sharen clan, though she claims to still be loyal to Chrys'tel herself.
  • Tampering with Food and Drink: She intercepts tea intended for Zala'ess and poisons it before delivering it to Zala'ess herself.
  • The Unsmile: When she defects to the Nidraa'chal, Snadhya'rune's empaths note her anger and tell her to smile. Amused, they describe it as "beautiful" when she gives a decidedly creepy evil smirk.
  • When She Smiles: Subverted in Chapter 46. What would be one of these moments is nothing if not creepy given what Shinae just went through and the heavy implication that she's no longer herself as we knew her.

    Nau'kheol Vel'Sharen 
One of Zala'ess' sons, he used to be Ariel's classmate at Orthorbbae.

  • Amazon Chaser: Is quite obviously smitten with Ariel when he sees her again after the timeskip, to her dismay. Might also have something to do with being willing to give a relationship with Kiel at try.
  • Blood Knight: One way to interpret his behavior as a child, where he seems to take glee in fighting others, especially the glee he takes in telling Ariel that her clan will be subjugated by his which has disappeared over time judging from his apparent remorse seen here, and in a later page his admission that he's never actually killed anyone, meaning that his behavior before was simply bluster.
  • Character Development: He was introduced as a dangerous bully, but over time, like Chrys'tel, he's evolved into a loyal little brother. One fan pointed out that both of them were introduced in ways that showed the worst part of their personalities, but have since been in situations that show the best parts.
    • And after the timeskip the biggest change is his unwillingness to kill a tainted Illhar'dro girl, and his admission that he's never actually killed anyone. The first signs of this appeared in Chapter 27, after his knife was used by Sate'ja to stab Naal after she stole it out of his hand and Nau can be seen having a Heroic BSoD in the background of the subsequent scene.
  • Cloudcuckoolander's Minder: A given, given that he became Kiel's mate. A B-Side Comics chibi depicts him having to stop her from displaying their baby through a window and take a knife out of the baby's hands.
  • The Comically Serious: Especially when around Perky Goth Khal'harror.
  • Crush Blush: After below Fee Fi Faux Pas and attracting stares, he proceeds to blush.
  • Dragged into Drag: And he is not happy about it.
  • Fee Fi Faux Pas: He makes an awkward reunion with Ariel even more so when he receives a better look at her attractive body and announces "Butt".
  • I Am Not Pretty: A rare male example. When Kiel tells him that Demon-Naal says he's cute, he doesn't believe it and thinks Kiel's making it up just to try and cheer him up due to the fact tha Sha'sana's death means there's basically no hope of correcting his "imperfect" taint.
  • Living Emotional Crutch: Serves as this for Kiel, even more so after the Vloz clan completely fell apart in the aftermath of the mass puppeteering event.
  • The Napoleon: Objects strenuously to Kiel calling him tiny, and after the timeskip evidently his height is a sore spot for him, which is rubbed in by how giant Ariel has grown in the amount of time since he last saw her.
  • Official Couple: Even though she was his Abhorrent Admirer for a good chunk of the story, Nau accepted being Kiel's mate at the end of Chapter 46 and eventually had a child with her in the three year timeskip. However, as of the last chapter of the series, she is now stuck Void Between the Worlds and is now cut off from the rest of the world, which means they will never see each other again.
  • Perpetual Frowner: When he was young her usually shown with a frown, but grew out of this when he got older.
  • Relationship Upgrade: With Kiel, of all people.
  • The Stoic: Very rarely shows more than the above, though he does manage a smirk and an evil grin during combat class, suggesting that fighting is the only thing that really makes him express emotion. After the timeskip this has largely disappeared, especially when things go bad.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: Looks almost exactly like a miniature version of his father, but amusingly, he seems to be the only one who doesn't see it.
    • Kiel's also quite amused by the fact that he looks like a short-haired Chrys'tel when he has to wear her clothes, which prompts a predictable reaction from Shinae:
      "He's her brother, dumbshit."

    Yami'ni Vel'Sharen 
One of Zala'aess' daughters, she is featured in the side story and animation "Demon Painter". She reappears post-timeskip as part of Zala'ess guard in Chapter 35.

    Jiaan*note   
Yami'ni's bodyguard and lover, first seen during the Nuqrah'sharian Civil War arc. He is later captured and tortured, eventually pledging himself to Snadhya'rune's service. Appears in Chapters 37, 44, 46 and 50. His concept art can be found here◊ and here◊.

  • Berserk Button: Empaths. Given what they did to him, perfectly understandable.
  • Big Ol' Eyebrows: Which are almost always frowning until Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul, where the clearest visual sign of this is him not frowning.
  • Bodyguard Crush: Ji'aan is Yami'ni's lover. Her death makes him go berserk. After chapter 46 becomes a twisted version of this to Snadhya'rune, who's implied to have made him "safe" specifically to have such a relationship.
  • Brainwashed and Crazy: The empaths used Mind Rape, torturing him for months. By the end of it, he was sufficiently broken to bow to Snadhya'rune, but his captors were uncertain whether he had really committed himself. Nevertheless, after his taint is made "safe", Snadhya'rune expresses complete confidence in his new loyalties to the point that Nau'kheol is scared off from seeking the same treatment and he has no problems with Snadhya'rune's schemes to wipe out his former family.
  • Crush Blush: To Snadhya'rune's affections after his taint is made "safe".
  • Distressed Dude: Was being held on the airship by the Nidraa'chal, and reappears in chapter 44 as a "gift" to Snadhya'rune.
  • Exotic Eye Designs: After swearing loyalty to Snad, she teaches him how to master his otherwise deadly taint.
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: Between the time when we first see him "safe" and he reappears with Snadhya he changes the colored streak in his hair from Yami'ni's blue to Snadhya'rune's purple.
  • Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul: The apparent effect of getting Snadhya's "safe" taint.
  • Kick the Dog: When Zhor attempts to stop him by grabbing his leg he not only stomps on his head and calls him a "Motherkilling cripple" but is clearly about to decapitate him prior to Mel'arnach punching him in the face.
  • Mind Rape: Subjected to this by the Empaths on the airship for what's implied to be weeks and by the end is completely willing to bow to Snadhya'rune.
  • My Greatest Failure: When the Empaths first Mind Rape him the word that appears next to him is "incompetent" and it's implied he took Yami'ni's death really hard.
  • No-Sell: Dycle's attempt to use his empathy to end their duel early fails because after weeks of the Empath's Mind Rape his is nothing in comparison.
  • Put on a Bus: Disappears after Chapter 37 when he's being held by the Empaths.
  • Shirtless Scene: When he reappears, but it falls more into Fan Disservice than anything, given the circumstances. Also shows that he's Covered in Scars: Which may or may not have been there before the Empaths got to him.
  • Super-Empowering: His affinity is channeling, which allows him to enhance the mana arts of others.
  • The Worf Effect: Despite being Yami'ni's bodyguard he gets captured, and though we don't see him fight Kalki beyond his initial lunge at her it's evident she did manage to stop him. His luck isn't much better after he masters his taint and Chakri and Myr Kavakini quickly subdue him.

    Saph'ala Vel'Sharen 
One of Zala'ess' older daughters, she seems to hold a high position in the family since she sits by her mother during the Council.
  • Brainwashed and Crazy: She goes through the demon seed merging ceremony, turning her into one of Snadhya'rune's loyal fanatics. After her sister, Chrys'tel, annoys Snadhya'rune too many times, she at first tries to force her through the same ritual. When Chryst'el leads her faction of the Imperial Guards into a revolt against Snadhya'rune, she lures her sister into a trap and shoots her full of crossbow bolts, aiming to kill her.
  • The Ditherer: The Sarghress give her 4 hours to surrender before they attack the Sharen fortress. At first, she is too proud to give in and expects her mother to come in with The Cavalry to save them. But the only message Zala'ess sends is an order to hold the fortress, without any reassurances or replies to feedback. She then starts panicking, not being sure what to do.
  • The Dragon: It's implied she's this to Zala, since she sits with her on the Council and is apparently left in charge of the fortress while Zala is in Nuqrah.
  • Honor Before Reason: Near the end of the District War, she has been left in charge of the Sharen fortress. The Sarghress give the Sharen clan a chance to surrender. But even though the Sarghress have them horribly outnumbered, she chooses to rip their terms into pieces.
  • Killed Off for Real: Chrys'tel is forced to wound her, using Blood Magic as an acidic bomb, and a member of the Imperial Guard finishes her off.
  • Like Father, Like Son: Displays similar Mama Bear traits as her mother. In Chapter 25 her dialogue indicates strong concern for her son's well being, riding out to meet him immediately after getting a distress message from him.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: Has her father's hair.
  • Villainous Breakdown: She starts breaking down and panicking when Zala'ess orders her to hold the Sharen fortress, doesn't send her any reassurances, and fails to respond to further flares.

    Sota Vel'Sharen 
One of Saph'ala's sons and a member of the Imperial Guard.

    Vy'chriel (originally Yaeminira) Vel'Sharen 
Yaeminira was originally the protector twin of Vy'chriel Vel'Sharen, one of Zala'ess' daughters, but killed her when she refused to become tainted. Zala'ess reluctantly let Yaeminira assume Vy'Chriel's name and rank.
  • Braids of Action: After she lets her formerly short hair grow out she wears it in a long braid.
  • Cain and Abel: With the original Vy'chriel. In terms of morality and action, she's Cain, but she views herself as Abel because of Vy'chriel's disobedience.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Killed the original Vy'chriel because of this.
  • Heel Realization: Sil'lice refers to her as "Yaeminira Nidraa'chal", and while Yaeminira initially dismisses this the imagery suggests that she realizes that some of her actions, including opening a nether gate in the city and killing her own sister, make it an apt comparison. Of course, she then choose to ignore this.
  • Human Popsicle: What Sil'lice does to her.
  • Ignored Epiphany: After finding out from Sillice the truth about the Nidraa'chal war does she stop and change sides when it's offered? Nope!
  • My Sibling Will Live Through Me: Taken to its darkest extreme, when she both took up the name of the sister she killed, but also turned her corpse into a mindless golem.
  • Sibling Rivalry: Of the deadly kind.
  • Replacement Sibling: For her own sister... who she killed.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Anyone with a working brain could tell that her fight with Sil'lice wouldn't end well for her.
  • Summon Magic: She's pretty good at it, just not as good as her aunt.
  • The Unfavorite: With good reason. Ironically, the original Vy'Chriel seems to have been one of Zala's favorites, and what exactly Yaeminira expected to happen when she murdered her is a question for the ages. Also adds more to the above trope.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: To Zala'ess.

    Phani'lath Vel'Sharen 
A son of Zala'ess by a male of the Illhar'dro clan. Possesses a quirky sense of humour. He is present in Chapter 8 with his mother, sisters and step-father when they come to confront Quain'tana for Chrys'tel's release.

    Kiri'dharma Vel'Sharen*note   
An older daughter of Zala'ess and Suna's guardian. First appearing in Chapter 47, her concept art can be found here◊.

    Nata'sinh Vel'Sharen*note   
A Dragon Knight and member of Zala'ess' lineage. First appearing in Chapter 47, her concept art can be found here◊.

    Nehleanee Vel'Sharen*note   
A Sharen family liason acting primarily as an intermediary between Zala'ess and Snadhya'rune. In truth, she has been a Nidraa'chal agent for decades and serves as a spy for Snadhya'rune. Appears in Chapters 47, 49, and 50. Her concept art can be found here◊ and here◊.
  • Cleavage Window: A notable feature of her dress.
  • Growling Gut: Rather embarrassingly suffers from this during a debriefing, after coming from an area of Chel that is short of food.
  • The Mole: Her role as liason is used primarily as a way for Snadhya'rune to keep tabs on Zala'ess and the Sharen Alliance.
  • Ms. Fanservice: If her later outfit is anything to go by.
  • Only Sane Man: Comes across as rather level-headed in meetings. She even tells Quain'tana that opening negotiations with insults is a poor idea.
  • Subordinate Excuse: Implied to be part of the reason she serves Snadhya'rune so dutifully.
  • Summon Magic: Trained in traditional summoning, a rarity in an era where it has largely been supplanted by nether summoning. Presumably, she is proficient in this, as well.
  • Tangled Family Tree: She's of Zala'ess' bloodline, and sometimes has difficulty sorting out the resulting relations.

    Suna'madhuri Vel'Sharen*note   
Zala'ess's youngest daughter, born during the Time Skip. Appears in Chapters 47 and 50. Her concept art can be found here◊.

    Tehur Vel'Sharen* 
One of Zala'ess' many daughters, appointed to the Imperial Guard after the second timeskip.

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